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Suit up! Custom-made clothes are often considerably cheaper in Metro Manila than in Western countries. Finding those small tailor shops in the Megacity can be a feat, but there are a couple of places where they will provide you with that suit you need.

The best places to look for these shops are the shopping malls scattered all over the metro, but it is usually difficult to spot them. If you see a shop that sells Filipino traditional wear for men along with different types of textile, chances are, they also do tailoring jobs.

Sometimes it is cheaper to get the fabric separately in one of those stores that sells nothing but fabric by the yard.

Expect your suit to be ready in one to two weeks, but allow some extra days in case it does not fit right at the first fitting. There are certain times of the year when it takes longer, such a June and December, the preferred months for weddings in the Philippines.

If you do not want to go about guessing which shops have a tailor in-house, you can go to the following places:

Tiño Suits and Barongs

If you really need a bespoke suit for that special occasion, you’re in luck because an established Filipino tailor and master cutter opened his shop in Makati in 2012.

Napoleon Arienza of Tiño Suits and Barongs studied in Italy, making Arienza one of the best tailors in Manila. He also worked with Brioni for a certain time so essentially, the tailor and master cutter made a few suits for the British spy character James Bond. If his Bond, James Bond experience is not enough, Arienza has over 30 years of experience under his belt. Before opening his Legaspi Village store in 2012, Tiño Suits and Barongs was the tailor of former Philippine President Joseph Estrada.

What makes the shop different from other tailors in the Megacity is its Italian craftsmanship. But how much will one have to spend to get a suit from Mr. Arienza? As far as prices go, Tiño is affordable compared to other top tailors in the metro but one has to keep in mind that the price tags are slightly higher as compared to buying ready-to-wear suits.The price range, according toTiño, can go from Php23, 000 to Php100, 000 depending on the fabric you want them to use.

Toppers Gent’s Haute Couture

Established in the 70s, Toppers makes suits and other garments. The master cutter, Jun Castro, started his tailoring business when he was 19 and because the garments he made were affordable, Toppers grew into the business that it is today.

Mr. Castro makes coats and trousers for a number of Philippine celebrities.

Kamuning Market

In the heart of Quezon City lies an old market where old school craftsmen have set up shop. While the market does not have the right kind of ambiance or the air conditioned facilities, custom-made suits are very affordable. One has to keep in mind to bring a photo for the craftsmen’s references though.

According to those who have experienced getting a suit made at the Kamuning Market, the usual price tag is around Php 8,000 including fabric costs. Among the shops to look for is Julynneth Tailoring. If you are adventurous, you can go to the market and look for other tailoring shops too.

Exclusively His

Exclusively His is the biggest chain of tailoring shops in the country, with about 250 personnel, including 150 well-trained in-house tailors. Exclusively His is specialized on office attires for men and on barongs, the traditional Filipino shirt for festive occasions and formal office environments. However (and despite the name), their product range also includes business attires for women, wedding gowns and entourages, and more.

Exclusively His has four branches in Metro Manila and another three outside the Megacity. For the branch directory, click here.